Astronaut held in jail for attempted murder

Police filed attempted murder charges against a US astronaut accused of trying to kidnap a woman she considered a rival for another astronaut's affections, preventing her release from jail on Tuesday.

A judge had granted bail for astronaut Lisa Nowak, who was arrested on Monday on charges including battery and attempted kidnapping, according to police in Orlando, Florida, US. But shortly before she was to be released, police filed the more serious charge of attempted first-degree murder, halting her release.

Nowak, 43, told police she drove from Houston, Texas, to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman, whom Nowak considered a rival for the attentions of fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein (pictured below right), the police affidavit said. The astronaut had disguised herself in a dark wig, glasses and a trench coat.

Nowak, a married flight engineer with three children, was awaiting her next flight assignment after travelling aboard the shuttle Discovery in July 2006 (see Shuttle blasts into orbit on third try).

Oefelein was part of a separate shuttle Discovery mission in December that continued construction on the International Space Station. The Orlando Sentinel described Shipman as a captain in the US Air Force assigned to the 45th Launch Support Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, near Florida's Kennedy Space Center.

Cloak and dagger

Around midnight on Monday, Nowak went to the airport disguised in a wig and trench coat, waited for Shipman's flight from Houston to arrive and then followed Shipman to the parking garage armed with pepper spray, a steel mallet and a BB gun, police said.

In a taped statement given to police, Nowak described her connection to Oefelein as "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship".

According to the affidavit, police were called at 0350 EST by Shipman, who told them she had been followed from the airport to a satellite parking lot by a dark-haired woman in glasses, wearing a trench coat with a hood pulled over her head.

Shipman told police she could hear the woman's footsteps running after her, so she jumped into her car and locked the doors quickly.

Pepper spray

The woman then pounded on Shipman's window, asked for a ride and then asked to use her cellphone. Shipman refused but rolled down her window just enough to be heard and was sprayed in the face by some sort of chemical that burned her eyes, according to the affidavit. Shipman was able to drive away to a toll booth for help.

The affidavit said police spotted Nowak dumping objects into a trash can at a nearby bus stop. Nowak was identified by Shipman.

In her statement to police, Nowak said she did not intend to physically harm Shipman, but "only wanted to scare Ms. Shipman into talking with her".

In a search of Nowak's car, police later found diapers that Nowak told them she wore so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate during her drive. They also discovered a letter describing how much Nowak loved Oefelein, emails from Shipman to Oefelein, directions to Shipman's house and receipts indicating Nowak paid only in cash during her trip from Houston, including for her hotel stay.

Police recommended Nowak be held without bail due to the detailed planning, disguises and weapons found in her possession.

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Astronaut Lisa Nowak drove 1500 km - using diapers so she would not have to stop to urinate - to confront the woman she considered a rival for the attentions of fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein. She was photographed by the Orange County Sheriff's Department following her arrest (Image: AP/Orange County Sheriff's Department)